title: Alcohol drinking among college students: college responsibility for personal troubles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One young adult in two has entered university education in Western countries. Many of these young students will be exposed, during this transitional period, to substantial changes in living arrangements, socialisation groups, and social activities. This kind of transition is often associated with risky behaviour such as excessive alcohol consumption. So far, however, there is little evidence about the social determinants of alcohol consumption among college students. We set out to explore how college environmental factors shape college students' drinking behaviour.
  
  
  METHODS
  In May 2010 a web questionnaire was sent to all bachelor and master students registered with an important Belgian university; 7,015 students participated (participation = 39%). The survey looked at drinking behaviour, social involvement, college environmental factors, drinking norms, and positive drinking consequences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On average each student had 1.7 drinks a day and 2.8 episodes of abusive drinking a month. We found that the more a student was exposed to college environmental factors, the greater the risk of heavy, frequent, and abusive drinking. Alcohol consumption increased for students living on campus, living in a dormitory with a higher number of room-mates, and having been in the University for a long spell. Most such environmental factors were explained by social involvement, such as participation to the student folklore, pre-partying, and normative expectations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Educational and college authorities need to acknowledge universities' responsibility in relation to their students' drinking behaviour and to commit themselves to support an environment of responsible drinking.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Society, Université catholique de Louvain, Clos Chapelle-Aux-Champs B1.30.15, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lorant
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nicaise
authors.forename: Victoria Eugenia
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Soto
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: d'Hoore
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000453:epidemiology; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D064890:Social Determinants of Health; D012931:Social Environment; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities / Q000592:standards*; D055815:Young Adult